Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: Gear list: am I on the right road?

« on: August 11, 2021, 02:56:58 pm »

Yes, you're on the right road.  A lot of people will bring something like crocs for camp, sunscreen and sun sleeves, and a long tour will probably be chilly at some point so something like a fleece shirt or down sweater to wear under the rain jacket and in camp might be a good idea.  A light pair of gloves help on a cold rainy day,and a helmet cover or liner cap will probably get used often.

2

General Discussion / Re: Backpacking vs Bike Touring

« on: June 12, 2021, 08:04:15 am »

"Normal" varies but I put the tent, sleeping bag, air mattress and pillow in one pannier, clothes and any food in the other.  Front bag for hat, gloves, and phone.  Back when tents and sleeping bags used to take more room I'd strap them on the rear rack.  You'll work it out - happy travels!

3

General Discussion / Re: Camping or not? Is the weight worth it?

« on: May 10, 2021, 02:23:30 pm »

Sounds like you have a plan, have fun and good luck!  Post back once you're out on the road and let us know how it's working out.

4

General Discussion / Re: TransAm done - What next?

« on: February 24, 2021, 06:26:35 am »

Looking at Northern Tier blogs might show you what it's like and what route you'd prefer.   There were some interesting blogs on crazyguyonabike.com but it seems to have disappeared.  Others can still be found with a search.

5

General Discussion / Re: Rain Jacket? Yes. Rain pants?

« on: February 05, 2021, 08:28:26 am »

I'd love to find some water repellent leggings that are stretchier than rain pants, and don't rely on a spray finish that wears off after a few days on the road.

6

General Discussion / Re: Rain Jacket? Yes. Rain pants?

« on: February 02, 2021, 06:35:02 am »

Whatever setup you're thinking of, try it out on a cold rainy ride before you leave and see if it works for you. 

7

General Discussion / Re: Can you tour on a carbon road bike?

« on: November 17, 2020, 05:18:00 pm »

I used my 2019 Domane SL5 to ride from Vermont to Minnesota last spring, it worked great.  I had a handlebar bag and panniers on a rear rack which transferred the weight to the axle.  The gear weighed 25 pounds with about 20 on the rear, camped every night but didn't carry cooking gear.  The bike came with 28mm tires which carried the weight with no problem, handled the Erie Canal towpath. 

8

General Discussion / Re: Lube when long distance touring

« on: June 13, 2020, 07:30:43 am »

Yes, a drop of lube is a lot, you can apply less by bumping the bottle tip on each link before a full drop forms.  If you're on the road and bugs are an issue, just spray a thin stream on the chain while spinning it backwards through several revolutions, that uses less lube and time. 

9

General Discussion / Re: Lube when long distance touring

« on: June 12, 2020, 05:23:48 pm »

I've tried half a dozen lubes over the years, starting with paraffin, and have been happiest so far with Dumonde Tech Lite.  Last spring I just reapplied sparingly when it sounded dry, usually the day after rain, the chain stayed cleaner than with other lubes. I never did more than give it a quick occasional wipe, and it looked better at the end than I expected.   If you're wondering if something better has come along it might be worth checking out. 

10

General Discussion / Re: Finding a place to sleep

« on: December 24, 2019, 09:34:03 am »

To speak to the original question, you can ease the anxiety about where to camp by reading about it in cycle touring books.  One I read a long time ago suggested options I wouldn't have thought of like cemeteries, or baseball fields that have equipment sheds or dugouts that a tent can hide behind.

11

General Discussion / Re: Finding a place to sleep

« on: December 24, 2019, 07:06:41 am »

For me it's been less stressful finding a tent site at the end of the day than trying to meet a schedule with unknown conditions ahead.  And so fun to keep riding beyond where you expected when a tailwind makes it easy.

12

General Discussion / Re: best color for panniers

« on: March 28, 2018, 06:31:45 am »

Yes, I was looking at panniers and wondered, perhaps whimsically, if visibility to self driving cars could get to be a consideration.  I did get some good answers and found that they use lidar, radar, and cameras, so should be able to detect objects/pedestrians in the dark.

13

General Discussion / Re: best color for panniers

« on: March 23, 2018, 01:14:37 pm »

Ha, good answer.  I was mostly kidding, but was also wondering if the blinky light, which is new for me, would have more of an impact than the color of gear.

14

General Discussion / best color for panniers

« on: March 23, 2018, 12:50:47 pm »

What color is most visible to self driving cars, anyone?

15

General Discussion / Re: Transamerica (and tiny bit Northern Tier) video

« on: January 25, 2018, 07:42:56 am »

Brilliant video, Coty!  You didn't keep a blog of the trip, did you?